The workshop ‘Smart Villages and Smart Communities in Local Development Strategies’, organised by the Italian National Rural Network in the framework of the ‘Smart Rural Hub’ Workshop (an initiative that aims to create a common path of reflection and in-depth study on the topic of ‘Smart Villages’), took place in Bardonecchia (IT) between 29 and 31 October 2024.
The aim is to build a repertoire of best practices for the next programming phase, encourage the implementation of pilot initiatives and stimulate the planning of Smart Village projects in the 2023-2027 Local Development Strategies.
During the three days, useful methodologies were shared for the implementation of accompanying actions and involvement of local communities, as well as operational tools for project implementation and management (statistical indicators, mapping, procedures, etc.).
The discussion led to the identification of a number of elements to make an action ‘smart’, first and foremost the active participation of the community and the need to build partnerships and networks between local actors to make the project sustainable over time.
The conclusions of the workshop are in line with the objectives and directions of the RURALE project, and this gives us proof of the goodness of the direction taken with our project!
